Does your startup the right match for your interests, passions and talents? Only you can answer that question, but here's a list of books I have read over the years that will help. Book Yourself Solid: mostly about creating a successful consulting business, but does a good job at helping you understand how to grow a [...]
Take a look at the following back-of-the napkin P&L. This is from an actual early-stage business. The product retails for $40 and wholesale cost is $20, which is the gross revenue to the business. COGS is fairly hefty because the business is small and does not yet have the volume to bring down its [...]
This is a Quora question I was asked to answer. The full question is as follows: What do distributor contracts look like, and do they ever allow companies to sell products themselves? If so, how is the margin controlled so that the company doesn't undercut the distributor? We are looking to begin selling a consumer [...]
A few weeks ago, I talked to two different companies. Both were lamenting at how difficult it was in growing their company. I delved a bit into each one's respective operations. I could not find anything major that they were doing wrong. In fact, both businesses were growing. One had just landed a major customer, although only [...]
I read an article recently about instead of selling just try to make it easier to buy. It got me thinking of a few ways this plays out in my work: Messaging vs. product: do I focus on more messaging/advertising or do I focus on improving and making a better product that drives word-of-mouth marketing and [...]
I like Seth Godin's blog. He put up a recent post about how he broke his nose walking into a glass door. While I have yet to do that (break my nose, that is), I can certainly sympathize because I seem to always find many ways to hurt myself. My problem is that I tend to rush [...]
This post provides guidance for qualifying an idea for a CPG or consumer product business (B2C or a B2B2C). In my opinion, the process for qualifying idea for a CPG or consumer product business is really hard because your first iteration is NEVER the final and best idea. Your business idea should naturally evolve as you [...]
A small Canadian-based CPG company I know has built a nice brand with their products, but have limited U.S. distribution. They have a number of key things going on that has them at a proverbial cross-roads, making it difficult for them to determine how to grow and which road to take. Sales from their main [...]
This is a list questions/statements I've assembled over the years that have really helped me to think about how to be innovative in my companies. They are in no particular order. They might help you innovate in your company. Where is your industry/category going? How are your consumers changing with respect to taste's, preferences and purchasing/buying [...]
I came up with a new type of natural breath freshener that I want to introduce in the US. How do I find commercial retail CPG distribution for my natural breath freshener? This is a Quora question. My answer is as follows: I am assuming you are a new company with a new product. If so, [...]
